New Bluford Shops "Dented" Gondolas

[OldEastRR]

These guys are low riders -- 50' MTL gons sitting next to them look like side-dump hoppers they're so high. It'll take major rework of the underside to get them to match the Blufords. Anybody do that yet?

[nkalanaga]

Many years ago, and it isn't hard.  Cut the ends off the underframe casting, build new body bolsters, and body mount 1025 or 1015 couplers.  I prefer 1025, but either will work.  I make my bolsters from Evergreen 0.060x1/8 and 0.030x1/8 strip, thick glued to the floor, a piece of thin on that, drill a 5/64" hole for the pin.  My trick was to use two pieces of the thick stuff, with a 3/32" gap in the middle, then drill the pin hole before gluing the thin piece on.  No hole in the floor that way.

Add a new piece of center sill between the bolster and weight, as a view block, if desired.

The stirrups won't clear body-mounted couplers, so cut the center section out, glue the stirrups in place with something that will hold for a while, then glue styrene blocks to the inside of the end sills to lock the stirrup in place mechanically.  If you're converting a drop-end gondola, the stirrups also hold the end in place, so they're needed.  For a fixed-end car, one could also replace the stirrups with wire or etched parts.

[Mark5]

@OldEastRR

https://therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=18363.0

[wazzou]

These guys are low riders -- 50' MTL gons sitting next to them look like side-dump hoppers they're so high. It'll take major rework of the underside to get them to match the Blufords. Anybody do that yet?

[jargonlet]

I think I stole this idea from @Ed Kapuscinski when he was working on the MTL Conrail mow gondola set a couple of years back. I drill holes in the frames to give the wheels clearance and then swap for BLMA trucks to lower the height and add metal wheels. The height of the gondola is then perfect for the body mount coupler.

[nkalanaga]

Wazzou:  I don't know which of our methods would be simpler.  Yours only needs one piece of plastic for the bolster, but mine doesn't involve grinding the floor, just hack the end off.

My method dates to the late 1970s, when I used basswood for the bolsters.  One of those early flatcars (same design) is still in service.  Basswood bolsters, 1025 couplers held together with pieces of toothpicks and glued to the floor, and the original "Kadee" trucks.  It does have ESM wheels, though.

Bryan Bussey's gondola method in the earlier topic is basically the same as mine.
http://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=18363.msg161551#msg161551

[bbussey]

I wrote an article for lowering the MTL flats and gons for NSM back in January 1994.  Lowered the MTL auto racks in NSR November 2007, the MTL appliance boxcars in NSR November 2008, and the MTL 36' reefers in NSR September 2014.

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[wazzou]

I just wanted to keep as much of the weight as possible, that’s all.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I just wanted to keep as much of the weight as possible, that’s all.

Yeah that's why I go the "dimple" route. Throw a 1/2" bit in the drill press and just nibble out a bit at a time.

You don't even have to disassemble the car (but you probably should).

[Mark5]

Heads up! Another batch of these have hit the stores (Lombard & others) - these are the current releases: https://www.bluford-shops.com/bluford_93_029.htm

[thomasjmdavis]

My Erie gons showed up yesterday.  I think most of my MTL gons will soon be surplus.

[nkalanaga]

Most of my MTL already are.  I'm still waiting for a PC (third run Bluford) and a BLMA to repaint (have decals for that one).

A few of my MTL will stick around, because, looking at the stenciling, they're supposed to be less than 52'6".  So, since I lowered them years ago, they're acceptable as-is.

I also have three covered gons that might have to stay, an MTL PRR and two ConCor, simply because no one makes covers for correct-length gons.

[thomasjmdavis]

I will keep my set of ATSF war emergency gons with auto frame loads, even though they are 3' short.  And I've been looking for 14 and 15 panel 50' prototypes (in general, it doesn't bother me to re-paint)- so I won't get rid of all of mine.  And I've toyed with the idea of trying to scratch or print new sides that would be accurate for various classes of 49-50' gons.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I will keep my set of ATSF war emergency gons with auto frame loads, even though they are 3' short.  And I've been looking for 14 and 15 panel 50' prototypes (in general, it doesn't bother me to re-paint)- so I won't get rid of all of mine.  And I've toyed with the idea of trying to scratch or print new sides that would be accurate for various classes of 49-50' gons.

If you want one of the "it's a good project" ones: https://conrail1285.square.site/product/-original-rapido-composite-gondola/112?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=M2PX4YCSGUBKRBTHKDXKU6R4

[Mark5]

If you want one of the "it's a good project" ones: https://conrail1285.square.site/product/-original-rapido-composite-gondola/112?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=M2PX4YCSGUBKRBTHKDXKU6R4

Bonus on this is that it's actually 52'.